Chris Ashton’s return to the England squad for the first time in almost a year was one of many intriguing subplots surrounding Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup announcement a little over a month ago.
Speaking this week at Pennyhill Park to Nick Heath of Rugby Media, Ashton is visibly excited to be back in camp.
“It’s exciting – it’s a little be different as I’ve not been here for a while,” said the Saracens winger. “I’ve got a bit of a different mindset and I just want to get into training and prove that I can be here.”
Ashton is desperate to regain his place in the squad for the home World Cup, and says it would mean “as much as it did the first time” to pull the England shirt on again now, after his period of absence.
Watch the full, fascinating interview with the winger here:
Video credit: Rugby Media
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I never boarded the anti-Ashton bandwagon and this interview confirms my opinion that he’s essentially a decent bloke and disarmingly modest.
However, my starting wings for England would be Nowell and Rokduguni. Watson (to cover all back 3) or Wade (brings something different to the game) would be on the bench. Ashton or Yarde would be #5 in the pecking order the way I see it. (I don’t rate May).
Re: Ash-splash. Can be annoying if he’s just finishing off hard work by 5-6 team-mates, no problem if he’s just beaten 3+ defenders and sprinted in from the halfway line. But the one thing that does bother me is I’ve never seen him actually commit 100% to it; the knee always comes down to cushion the landing – basically he bottles it. I’ve seen Alesana Tuilagi dive over the tryline and bellyflop from height into the turf – probably left an indentation in the ground.
Personally always been a fan of his. I think he was dropped for the right reasons; he does have weaknesses and others were showing potential.
However, as things stand I would only pick Watson and Nowell over him on the wings so he’d probably make the 31 man squad, depending on how Roko performs. Potentially could see Watson, Nowell, Ashton, Roko and Brown picked as the back three options.
Jacob, I wouldn’t be averse to those 5 covering the back three positions. I suspect though, that Goode will get a place, probably instead of Rokoduguni on your list.
I am quite ambivalent toward Ashton. I don’t think he offers much more than Watson or Nowell in terms of his famed “tracking”, but I do think that he lacks the one on one ability of those two and of Rokoduguni.
However – he does have an eye for the line, indeed he seems to have re-discovered this during the season, so I am glad he is in the squad and hopefully, whatever they do over the summer, they end up with the best combination.
It seems to me that some of Ashton’s best days were with Flood at 10 – he seemed to play well, running off Floods breaks and half breaks, and struggled a bit more with Farrell’s introduction. Could be that Ford’s game is very well suited?
Definitely expect Goode to be in there, but I view him as up against Cipriani for that 10/15 role. So maybe all 6 can fit in.
Definitely agree, the likes of Farrell and Barritt don’t seem to suit him (which is weird considering they are all club colleagues). However, with Ford and particularly Joseph, he could be brilliant.
I think it was Matt Dawson who said Ashton is frustrating as he has the potential to be the best winger in england, I do agree.
I rate Watson, so much so that I would start him at 15, I feel the way he counter attacks (arguably his biggest strength) is wasted at wing, following the WC I think brown will go and Watson will start there.
I feel teams would target Ashton if he is on the wing, how ever no one seems to get too much change out of him when he plays for sarries.
Thoughts?
Am looking for a rugby chat whatsapp group so that we can talk about the world cup
I wouldn’t bother Muhumuza. All internet forums eventually descend into petty nationalistic squabbling. Anonymity allows people to say the most horrible things imaginable without ever being held accountable for it.
Alan you are talking complete s**t you must be Welsh
You mother is a donkey and your father smells of cabbage
:-)